Potato digging and gathering machine



(No Model) .1. w. HOOVER. POTATO DIGGING AND GATHERING MACHINE. No.415.202. Patented Nov. 19. 1889 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC \Y. HOOVER, OF AVERY, OHIO.

POTATO DIGGING AND GATHERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,202, dated November19, 1889.

Application filed March 2, 1889- Serial No. 301,562. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: the frame G is the crank-shaft I. Saidshaft,

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. lIooVER, a when set in motion, agitates therakes, as resident of Avery, in the county of Erie and shown at J, inconnection with the link K,

State of Ohio, a citizen of the United States, which at one end is heldsecured to an arm of 5 have invented a certain new and Improved theframe G and at the other with the upper Potato Digging and GatheringMachine; and part of the rakes J. The offiee of said rake I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, or rakes is to assist the separatorin freeing clear, and complete description thereof. the potatoes fromthe stalks and weeds and My invention consists of certain mechanto drawthe weeds along the separator for a [O isms operating conjointly for thepurpose of speedy discharge from the machine.

digging the potatoes and then gathering them The links as heretoforeemployed in conintoa receptacle at the rear end of the machine, nectionwith the rakes were simply connectthereby avoiding the labor of pickingthem ing-rods,whichareliable to break,owingtounup in the usual way, andalso at the same due strains which may be encountered when 15 timeincreasing the quantity gathered. the separator becomes too heavilycharged That the invention may be fully understood with weeds andstalks, as may occur when and seen, reference will be had to the annexedthe field is encumbered with them. To prospecification and accompanyingdrawings, in vide links to endure such strains with comwhich parativesafety is one of the objects of this 20 Figure 1 represents a centralvertical secinvention. A spring-link, as represented in tion of thegathering mechanism as located the enlarged Fig. 3, has been for thispurunder the screen and attached to a machine pose constructed to embodythe properties patented to me May 8, 1888, No. 382,363. Said essentialto the conditions under which it may figure also illustratesthetension-links in conbe used. The link consists of the spiral 25nection with the raking mechanism of said, spring a, the rods 1) and 0extending through machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of said gathsaidspring. The loop I) of the rod 1) is atering mechanism and parts of themachine to tached to the upper cross-bar (Z of the frame which it isattached. Fig. 3 is an enlarged G, and the hook Z) extends over the endof perspective view of the tension-link detached. the spring (I, to holdsaid rod within said 30 Like letters of reference refer to like partsspring. In like manner, but in an opposite in the drawings andspecification. direction, the rod 0 is connected with said Theinvention, as above stated, is shown in spring ctthat is, the hook 0'laps over the connection with the machine fully shown and end of thespring a and the eye 0" is condescribed in the patent cited; hence thereare nected with the rake J. Thus when the link 5 herein only those partsof said machine shown K is exposed to strains which have a tendency asare essential for a thorough knowledge of to stretch it longitudinallysaid spring is in the application and operative devices of said actionand becomes more or less compressed,

invention. lengthening the link, depending upon the re- A in Fig. 1represents one of the drivingsistance encountered in the removal of the40 wheels, and B a gear-wheel, which is secured stalks and weeds fromthe potatoes. By this thereto to rotate the pinion G. Asprocketadjustability of the spring'link it is relieved wheel (notshown) on the shaft of said pinion from undue strain, as the compressionof the imparts, by means of a chain, motion to the spring a allows of arelative extension of the elevator E to convey the potatoes up and uponlink-rods inversely, and thus avoids break- 5 the separator F,which isheld suspended from age, which would otherwise occur if no prothe frameG, as seen in Fig. 1. Arranged visions were made to allow of anextension of underneath said frame is the sitter or screen said link orlinks, as stated. ll,on which the potatoes are conveyed, sifted, Anotherfeature of my invention is the and separated from dirt and weeds anddelivgathering devices, the object of which is to 50 ered to thegathering mechanism, hereinafter collect the potatoes as they leave thescreen fully described. and to deliver them into a receptacle placedJournaled on or within an upright arm of at the rear end of the gathereror machine.

The advantages of a gatherer when combined with a potato-digger canreadily be appreciated when the amount of manual labor and time whichwould be required to pick up the vegetable is taken into consideration.This gatherer in part consists of an elevator or conveyer mounted upon atruck and operated in connection with the digger mechanism, theconnection being such as to extend the front end of the elevatordirectly under and in line with the screen of the digger. Upon aplatform at the rear end of said gatherer is placed a movable receptacleto receive the potatoes from the elevator, which receptacle, whenfilled, is removed and an empty one set in place thereof while themachine is in motion.

The elevator L consists of the combination of the chains 6 e and theflanged bars f, connecting at intervals with said chains. The bars fmove over the bottom of the inclined supporting-frame, consisting of thebars 19, forming an open-work support for the potatoes, allowing dirt tofall through before reaching the receptacle. The chains engage in thesprocket-wheels M at the rear upper end and are guided over the roller Nat the front lower end of said elevator, as seen in Fig. 1. Thesprocket-wheels are secured to the shaft 0, which extends transverselythrough the side plates P. Outside of these plates P are pinions Q onthe same shaft O,which engage in the gear-wheels R of the drivers S. Thedrivers S revolve loosely upon the axle T; but the side plates P areconnected rigidly with said axle, as seen in Fig. 1, to support the rakeV, upon whiclrthe elevator L slides.

\Vith the front end of r the side plates P is secured the brace V, asseen in Figs. 1 and 2. Said brace has a jointed or pivotal connectionwith the bifurcated draw-bar WV by means of the king-bolt Y, as seen inFig. 1.

The shoe Z at the lower end of said draw-- bar is for the purpose ofprotecting the pivotal connection of said bar and brace.

WVith the axle T and the side plates P are attached the brackets g and hfor support of the platform 2', on which is set the receptacle j, Figs.1 and 2, receiving the tubers as delivered from the machine. Thisreceptacle extends across the entire width of the elevator L, and ismade of a size andform best adapted for removal when filled withpotatoes. The potatoes on leaving the screen H are gathered up in themanner described and conveyed into the receptacle, which, when filled,is removed and replaced by an empty one while the digger is drawn alongover the field and in operation.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a potato-digger, the spring tension-linksinterposed between the upper ends of the rakes, and a stationary bar ofthe frame of the elevator, arranged to operate conjointly with the rakesand their crank shaft, substantially in the manner shown, and for thepurpose described.

2. In combination with a potato-digger and screeningmechanism,tension-links consisting of the spiral spring a and therods 1) c, extending and operating inversely through said spring, therod 1) attached to the frame of the separator and spring, and the rod 0to the upper end of the rake and opposite end of the spring, in themanner substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

8. I11 combination with the potato-digger comprising the screen 11, thegathering mechanism having its front end beneath the said screen, and adraw-bar W, extendin g from the digger-frame beneath the screen II andpivotally secured to the front end of the gatherer, substantially asdescribed.

4. The described potato-gatherer mounted upon wheels at its rear partand the front end attached to the potato-digger by a drawbar having ajointed connection with the brace Y of the gatherer, and aprotectingshoe Z, in combination with the sifting-screen H, arranged toextend over the front end of the gatherer, substantially as described,and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC IV. HOOVER. tVituesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, B. F. EIBLER.

